Tough start to season for Roughriders

Tyler Crapigna and the Saskatchewan Roughriders are the CFL’S hard-luck kids

Saskatchewan finds itself 0-2 this season but both losses have been by a combined four points. The Riders dropped their season opener in Montreal 17-16 before losing a wild 43-40 double-overtime decision Saturday night to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the first game played at the new Mosaic Stadium.

In both games, Crapigna was in a position to earn the Riders the win. The 24-year-old Ottawa native missed a 45-yard field goal try on the final play versus the Alouettes then hit the uprights from 33 yards out in the second overtime period against Winnipeg, setting up Justin Medlock’s game-winning 28-yard boot.

It’s not as if Crapigna is struggling. He connected on his first four attempts Saturday and has made 7-of-9 field goals and all five converts he’s attempted this year. It’s just that his misses have been costly ones.

The Riders return to Mosaic Stadium on Saturday to host the Hamilton Tiger-cats, who come off the bye following their season-opening 32-15 road loss to the Toronto Argonauts.

The loss to Winnipeg tarnished a solid performance by Kevin Glenn. The Riders’ veteran quarterback threw for 377 yards and four TDS with two interceptions.

But Winnipeg receiver Weston Dressler had six catches for 124 yards and two TDS against his former team as the Bombers rolled up 430 yards offensively. Another former Rider, quarterback Darian Durant, threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns for the Alouettes.

Saskatchewan hopes that trend doesn’t continue against Hamilton, whose defence features former Riders defensive lineman John Chick. But the Ticats will be without 1,000-yard receiver Terrence Toliver, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Toronto.